30: Sgurr Mor

Sgurr Mor (Glen Kingie)   13th July 2010

After our big day yesterday on the Corryhully Horseshoe, a rest day would have been ideal, but unfortunately(!) the weather was fine.  Too good a day to waste, so this time, leaving Anne to potter about in Glen Nevis, I set off on my own back up Loch Arkaig. Two days earlier, it had been foul and murky;  today, the views up the loch were superb.

view up Loch Arkaig

After a few stops to take photos, and a seemingly endless succession of blind summits and bends, I reached the end of the road at Strathan at 10.20am.   Across the valley, yesterday's hills - Sgurr Thuilm and Sgurr na Coireachan were shrouded in cloud.

at the top of the road - Streap and Sgurr Thuilm in cloud

I loaded my rucsac, and cycled 3km up the road, almost to Glen Dessary House.  The map shows a path heading up on the north side of the stream, but a rough track could be seen heading up on the south side, so, leaving the bike by the side of the track, I made my way up this squelchy track.   Note to anyone thinking of doing the same - don't!  There is a much better path on the north side!  

Anyway, I squelched my way up the track, which improved a bit higher up, but then evaporated completely on the level bealach.  A line of well-spaced stobs seemed to suggest a route through the peat hags - fortunately it was a dry day!  After 25 minutes of floundering across the moss, I joined a better path leading down into Glen Kingie, with Sgurr Mor, today's destination, dominating the skyline ahead.

the boggy bealach between Glen Dessary and Glen Kingie - Sgurr Beag (left) and Sgurr Mor ahead

No sooner had I found the path, but it started to turn eastwards towards Kinbreck, so I abandoned it and headed north west and down towards the River Kingie, which I reached at 12.10.  The water was pretty low, so it was easy enough to cross to gain the good stalkers' path up the north side of the glen.  Actually, this path (highly rated in the guide books) was a little disappointing, badly worn and quite boggy in places.  Still, it was much better than anything I had been on so far today! 

After following the path for a couple of kilometres, it started to climb, then rose in a series of beautifully engineered zig-zags up to the col between An Eag and Sgurr Beag at 660m.  About half way up the zig-zags, my stomach demanded food, so a 15 minute stop to refuel at 1pm. 

Soon the col was reached, and the superb path continued in graceful curves up the ridge to Sgurr Beag (890m).   Behind me, Sgurr na Ciche started to pop up over the nearer hills, and soon the whole ridge to the west was visible in its full rugged splendour. 

Sgurr na Coireachan, Garbh Chioch Mhor and Sgurr na Ciche, from Sgurr Beag

This was a fine place to rest (now 2.10pm), with just a warm breeze blowing from the south, and a fine view looking down to the head of Loch Quoich.  A short shower swept across, but had passed almost as soon as I had got my cagoule on.

Another series of well constructed zig-zags led down to the next col, followed by a long slog up the steep SW ridge of Sgurr Mor, with my legs complaining after yesterday's exertions.  Suddenly, just after 3pm, the top appeared, and I flopped down at the cairn for a 25 minute rest. 

summit of Sgurr Mor

 To the west, Sgurr na Ciche, to the north across Loch Quoich, Sgurr a' Mhaoraich, Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach, and to the east, Gairich - I had already climbed everything in sight!

Gleouraich and Spidean Mialach across Loch Quoich from Sgurr Mor

3.30pm - time to move off.  The only other climber I had seen all day had left the summit before I reached it.  I descended east along the summit ridge, then continued down the ridge towards Sgurr an Fhuarain.  It looked like it would be an enjoyable walk to continue to its top, but not for today!   At the lowest point of the ridge, I dropped off south down grassy slopes (Anne would have hated them!) and was back down to the Kingie an hour after leaving the summit.  Time for another wee refreshment break there, before toiling back up to the boggy bealach, and retracing my steps across and down into Glen Dessary.

The bike was where I had left it, and it proved its worth as I trundled effortlessy back to the car in only 10 minutes, overtaking the other walker I had seen earlier.  6.05pm, and a lovely evening.

The final bonus was the view across Loch Lochy to the Nevis range on the drive back to Glen Nevis.

Ben Nevis and CMD across Loch Lochy

And so, apart from the Aonachs, that completed all the Munros accessible from Glen Nevis, and it was time to head further north - Glen Shiel and Glen Affric beckoned ...

Summary:

1 Munro

6 km by bike

15 km walk

1250 m climb

7 hours 40 mins

written 26/02/11